Storing device for signals

ABSTRACT

A selective signal storing device in which a plurality of discs each having at least one signal storing surface at one face thereof are mounted about a common axis, and in which a plurality of transducer means are coupled together to move simultaneously in a direction transverse to said axis into a position to respectively cooperate with a selected track on the signal storing surface of corresponding discs. The device includes further drive means operable for effecting relative movement between the discs and the transducer means, and means to cause at least a selected one of the transducer means at least during part of such relative movement to effect sensing, recording and erasing on the respective signal storing surface.

United. States Patent Dirks [45]- Apr. 18, 1972 154] STORING DEVICE FORSIGNALS References Ciled [72] lnventor: Gerhard Dirks, Los Altos Hills,Calif. UNITED STATES PATENTS [73] Assignee; Dirks Computer systemsCorporation, Los MOl'lIl .t l Altos Hills, Calif. 2,800,642 7/1957 May....340/ 174.1 2,811,709 10/1957 Haselton et al ..340/174.1 [22] Filed:Nov. 14, 1969 Primary Examiner--Thomas A. Robinson [21] Appl 876872Attorney-Michael s. Striker Related US. A licatio Data pp 57 ABSTRACT[62] Division of Ser. No. 420,294, Dec. 22, 1964, which 18 a division ofSet 627,441 10, 1956 pat A selective signal storing device in which aplurality of discs 3 172 082 each having at least one signal storingsurface at one face thereof are mounted about a common axis, and inwhich a plu- [30] Foreign Application Priority Data rality of transducermeans are coupled together to move simultaneously in a directiontransverse to said axis into a Dec. 8, 1955 Great Britain ..35,358/55position to respectively cooperate with a selected track on the signalstoring surface of corresponding discs. The device in- [52] US. Cl..340/174.l C, 179/ 1004 PT, 179/100.2R cludes further drive meansoperable for effecting relative [51] 1nt.Cl. ..G1lb 25/04 movementbetween the discs and the transducer means, n l 53] Field f Search 40 47PR, 3 57 3 53 74 means to cause at least a selected one of thetransducer means at least during part of such relative movement toeffect sensing, recording and erasing on the respective signal storingsurface.

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1. A selective signal storing device comprising, in combination, aframe; a plurality of storage discs rotatably mounted about an axis insaid frame, each of said discs having a signal storing surface adaptedto carry a plurality of tracks on at least one face thereof; a pluralityof arms arranged in a common plane and movably mounted in said plane,each of said arms having an end adapted to move in radial direction of acorresponding disc in a plane parallel with the signal storing surfaceof the corresponding disc; a plurality of transducer means, each adaptedfor sensing, recording and erasing signals on the signal storing surfaceof a corresponding one of said discs, each of said transducer meansbeing mounted on the end of a corresponding one of said arms; selectormeans in said frame operable to move said plurality of armssimultaneously in a radial direction of said plurality of discs inplanes parallel with the signal storing surfaces of said plurality ofdiscs to align each transducer means with a selected track on the signalstoring surface of a corresponding disc; drive means in said frame foreffecting a relative movement between the signal storing surface of saidplurality of discs and said plurality of transducer means; and controlmeans operatively connected with each of said transducer means forselectively causing at least a selected one of said transducer means toeffect sensing, recording and erasing of signals during a selected phaseof said relative movement.
 2. A selective signal storing device asdefined in claim 1, wherein said signal Storing surface of each disc islocated opposite and spaced from the signal storing surface of anadjacent disc, and wherein said selector means simultaneously moves theends of said arms and the transducer means thereon into the spacebetween respective opposite signal surfaces to align said transducermeans with a selected track on said signal storing surfaces, andincluding mounting means mounting each of the transducer means on theend of the respective arm movable between an inoperative position spacedfrom both of the respective opposite signal storing surfaces and anoperative position located adjacent to either of said signal storingsurfaces; and tilting means operatively connected to each of saidmounting means for tilting movement of at least one of said transducermeans in a plane parallel to said axis from said inoperative to saidoperative position.
 3. A selective signal storing device as defined inclaim 1, wherein said signal storing surface of each disc is locatedopposite and spaced from the signal storing surface of an adjacent disc,and wherein said selector means simultaneously moves the ends of saidarms and the transducer means thereon into the space between respectiveopposite signal surfaces to align said transducer means with a selectedtrack on said signal storing surfaces, and including mounting meansmounting each of the transducer means on the end of the respective armmovable between an inoperative position spaced from both of therespective opposite signal storing surfaces and an operative positionlocated adjacent to either of said signal storing surfaces, and shiftingmeans operatively connected to each of said mounting means for moving atleast one of said transducer means in a direction parallel to said axisfrom said inoperative to said operative position.
 4. A selective signalstoring surface as defined in claim 3, and including resilient meansoperatively connected to said mounting means and biased to resilientlymaintain said mounting means in a position in which said transducermeans mounted thereon is in said inoperative position.
 5. A selectivesignal storing device as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal storingsurface of one disc is located opposite and spaced from the signalstoring surface of an adjacent disc, wherein each of said transducermeans comprises a pair of transducer heads and including mounting meansmounting each of said pair of transducer heads on the end of therespective movable arm relative thereto from an inoperative positionspaced from both signal storing surfaces of the respective pair ofopposite signal storing surfaces and an operative position locatedadjacent to one of the corresponding pair of signal storing surfaces;moving means operable for moving said transducer heads between saidinoperative and said operative position; and operating means foroperating said moving means for moving selected ones of said transducerheads from one to the other position thereof.
 6. A selective signalstoring device comprising a frame; a plurality of discs mounted forrotation about an axis in said frame, each of said discs having a signalstoring surface adapted to carry a plurality of tracks on at least oneface thereof; a plurality of transducer means at least one for each ofsaid surfaces, each of said transducer means being adapted for sensing,recording and erasing signals on the corresponding signal storingsurface; selector means in said frame operable to selectively move atleast a group of said transducer means in a plane parallel with thesignal storing surfaces to align the transducer means of said group witha selected track on the corresponding signal storing surfaces; aplurality of shifting means operable to selectively move at least oneselected one of said group of transducer means independently of theother substantially parallel with said axis into and out of operativerelationship with the signal storing surface of the corresponding disc;drive means for effecting a relative movemenT about said axis betweensaid plurality of signal storing discs and a plurality of transducermeans; and control means operatively connected with each of saidtransducer means for selectively causing at least one selectedtransducer means to effect sensing, recording and erasing of signalsduring a selected phase of said relative movement.